Second Presbyterian Church has been a Stephen Ministry congregation since the late 1990’s. Begun in 1975, Stephen Ministry is a one-to-one lay caring ministry. Stephen Ministers are Christian men and women who come from all walks of life and are trained to provide high quality care to people experiencing a difficult time in life—such as grief, divorce, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, relocation, or separation due to military deployment.
Stephen Ministers share a passion for bringing Christ’s love and care to people during a time of need. A Stephen Minister usually provides care to one person at a time, meeting with that person once a week for about an hour. Men are Stephen Ministers for men, and women for women. Twice a month, Stephen Ministers gather with their Stephen Leaders for supervision and continuing education.
The care relationship between a Stephen Minister and a care receiver is completely confidential. No details are shared with family members, friends, or the church pastors. Even in the regular meetings Stephen Ministers have with each other and their Stephen Leaders, neither the care receiver’s name nor identifying details about them are shared. The Stephen Leader is the only other person, besides the Stephen Minister, who knows names of care receivers.
If you are interested in becoming a Stephen Minister or receiving care from a Stephen Minister, please contact Mari Quint.